


What Love Is

by MorganaNK



Category: Inspector Lynley - All Media Types, Inspector Lynley Mysteries (TV)
Genre: F/M, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-14
Updated: 2020-09-14
Packaged: 2021-03-07 05:42:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 484
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26468146
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MorganaNK/pseuds/MorganaNK
Summary: A post-series fic. Tommy, Simon, and a conversation about the meaning of love.
Relationships: Barbara Havers/Thomas Lynley, Helen Clyde/Thomas Lynley
Comments: 1
Kudos: 16





	What Love Is

**Author's Note:**

> Property of Elizabeth George and the BBC, no copyright infringement intended

“Not that I don’t appreciate the invitation to come round and catch up, but I can tell you’ve got something on your mind.”

I handed Simon his whiskey, then sat opposite him. “Am I that obvious?”

“Only to someone who knows you well.”

“And you know me well.”

“I do, but not as well as Barbara does, which makes me wonder why I’m here and she isn’t.”

“Because I want to talk about Helen. You knew Helen.”

“Barbara knew Helen too.”

“This is not a conversation I want to have with her.”

“Can I ask why?”

“Because I don’t want to discuss Helen and what I felt for her with Barbara. Even though I know she wouldn’t mind, it wouldn’t be fair.”

“What you felt for her? You loved Helen.”

“No, that’s just it, I didn’t. I just didn’t want to be a failure again. I’d failed at being a son, a brother, a lover, I didn’t want to add failure as a husband to the list too. That’s why I took her back, tried to make things work.”

“Helen’s been dead for over a year, why are you analysing this now?”

“I finally understand what love is and more to the point, I know what it isn’t. Love shouldn’t be a war, but you still have to work hard at it. Being in love with someone doesn’t mean that you own them. When you truly love someone, and they truly love you, you don’t need to keep them shackled to your side.”

“You’re in love with Barbara?”

I nodded. “In truth I think I always have been.”

“I knew you two were close but…”

“It’s more than that, much more. I’m going to ask her to marry me.”

“If she makes you happy then you should.”

“I’m the happiest I’ve ever been.”

“Then that’s all that matters.”

“Thank you.”

“Am I interrupting?”

I looked up and smiled warmly at Barbara.

“Never. Come and join us.”

Crossing the room to my side and perching on the arm of my chair, she sneaked a sip from my whiskey, pulling a face as the bitterness and fire hit the back of her throat.

“Ugh! I still don’t understand how you can drink this stuff.”

“And yet you steal a sip at every opportunity.”

“Only to see if it’s improved, which it never has.”

Simon knocked back the rest of his drink and stood. “I need to get going. Deborah is going out with the girls tonight, so I am on bath, bed and story duty.”

I went to stand, “I’ll see you out.”

He waved a hand, “no need Tommy, I know my way. Good luck, we’ll speak soon.”

As the front door closed behind him Barbara turned to me. “Good luck? Is there something I should be worried about?”

I tugged her down into my lap, wrapping my arms around her. “No, nothing at all.”


End file.
